While we get all worked up about stars and hits and misses, here’s a good story about the guy no one really wanted. I think it’ll work if you click the link.

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It gives one real insight to know the heart of your coach...and ours!


Take a few moments to read this letter written by Scott Frost November of 2005. This is the heart of a man who is born and bred a Husker. There is not a better fit for the Nebraska football head coach.

10/05
Scott's Thoughts by Scott Frost

Sometimes I think that I care too much. I was in Lawrence on Saturday and I saw our guys go down in defeat at the hands of a team that we had beaten every year for almost four decades. I can’t tell you how hard it was to watch. Seeing Jayhawk fans yelling and jeering and storming the field made my stomach turn. Now in the wake of that loss I have been hearing all sorts of opinions about what is going wrong and what should be changed. Some of them make some sense and some are ridiculous. People everywhere I go are asking me for my views on the program. I certainly don’t have all of the answers, but I can offer you some of my feelings as a former player who has bled, sweat, thrown-up, cried, fought, been criticized, been vindicated, and been a part of a champion while wearing Husker red. I have concerns and a few problems with some of the things that have happened surrounding our beloved program. I have talked to a lot of other players and they have the same concerns. I cannot speak for any of them or for anyone else, but I think people would like to know how ex-players feel, and I think that my opinions probably reflect those of most of the guys who have been a part of Husker football.

Let me begin by reiterating that the reason so many of us are so frustrated is that we care so much. That concern is what sets Nebraska apart. I started my career at another institution where it is not nearly as rare to go five and six, and I’ve seen first hand how much more passion there is surrounding Husker football than almost every other program in the country. Sometimes I don’t think that some of the people in the program right now knew what they were getting themselves into when they signed up to come here. That leads me to my first major concern about what is happening at Memorial Stadium- the complete and intentional departure and detachment from anything that had to do with the way it was.

Let’s start with the people. We didn’t just get a new coaching staff two years ago, there was basically a house cleaning. So many of the people in South stadium who made Nebraska what it was either left or were forced to leave that many of us as former players do not even feel comfortable coming around the campus anymore. That’s a shame. It was commonplace when I was playing to have ex-players like Cory Schlessinger, Tyrone Williams, and Will Shields come to meetings or compete against us in passing league. Now, most guys don’t even know who to call if they want to watch a practice. I know they kept Coach Gill around when they brought in the new staff and he was a link to the past, but he moved on. Jimmy Williams and Marvin Sanders weren’t asked to return. Their excellent coaching abilities aside, it sure would be nice to have someone like them on the staff that is familiar with the traditions of Nebraska football.

It isn’t just university employees either, it’s also the players. When we won the national championship in 1997, nine out of our eleven starters on offense were from the state of Nebraska. We had a system in place that was able to organize and develop more athletes, therefore there were more players on a Nebraska practice field than most schools normally have. A great number of those players were walk-ons from the state of Nebraska who would give their heart and soul for the football team. Not only did that create a team that cared more about winning, it also made for a huge amount of caring and involvement throughout the state. When you live in a town like Funk, Nebraska, and you know Kyle Larson personally, it generates a sense of pride in our state for a program that could take boys from our own hometowns and develop them into players who could compete with and beat anyone. I’m all for going to California and Florida to recruit great players. Heaven knows we need guys like Marlon Lucky and Harrison Beck to make us better, but I also wish we wouldn’t stop making the effort to bring home-grown athletes along as Huskers.

If you want more proof about the complete overhaul of Nebraska football, look at some of the small things. Why after so many years did “Husker Power” fail to be a worthy slogan for our team? Now it’s “the power of red”. Why did the program where the coaches went to Lincoln, Omaha, and a town out west to show loyal fans the game film end? Talk about a way to help keep fans interested and loyal (fundraising!). Even Herbie Husker got an overhaul from blonde to brunette. It almost feels like anything that symbolizes or relates to the Huskers of Devaney, Osborne, and Solich was simply not good enough anymore.

That leads me to the next major concern that I have right now-its character. I’m not making this point to attack or demean anyone. I just know the kind of character that people throughout the program used to have. It all started with Tom Osborne. The man simply has more honor and integrity than anyone I have ever known. When he knew something was right, he did it. When he knew something was wrong, he always stayed away. I never once got cursed at by a Nebraska coach on the football field. Our coaches had a biblical devotional every morning before they started their meetings. Tom would never promise a recruit playing time, he would simply tell them that they would get a fair opportunity to show what they could do. The best complement that you could get from him is that you were “a pretty good player”. He’s the kind of guy that could lead a group of people to accomplish the absolute most that they were capable of accomplishing.

The character didn’t just end with Tom either. Ron Brown and Turner Gill are two of the best people I know. Milt Tenopir was like a father to most of the guys who played for him. The relationship that Charlie had with most of his guys, while slightly different, was wonderful. It was like a big family, and that environment made us all want to work harder and succeed that much more. We simply did things better and cleaner at the University of Nebraska than they did it anywhere else. There was an element of class about the program that was the envy of every other college football team.

I want to become a college football coach, and I plan on looking for a place to start a career in that field after this season is over. A few months ago I told Ron Brown that I wanted to coach. His advice to me was that if I was getting into coaching just to try to win games and be around football, then it wasn’t worth it. It would drive me crazy and the hours wouldn’t be justified. If I was going to coach on the other hand, with my primary goal being to try and impact the lives of the guys that you work with than the job could be more rewarding than almost anything else I could do. I’m paraphrasing a little bit, but you get the point. I really think that for most of the staff, winning was a goal that was secondary to shaping us as players into good men. I’m not saying things are different now, I don’t know. I would just hate to see us become like everybody else in college football. We have always been special, and I hope we always will be.

Building on that point, I would like to add this. It is not fair to be calling for the firing of any of our coaches right now. Everyone is entitled to their opinions about how things are going on the field, but we owe these guys a fair chance to get things turned around. If I was a coach that took over a program like Nebraska I would feel like I deserved at least three or four years to fully integrate my philosophies and tactics as a coach and leader. Granted there probably needs to be signs of improvement along the way, but it’s not fair to be talking about a change right now. It also doesn’t make sense to be firing so many arrows at the staff in the middle of the season. These guys have a job to do, and the fewer distractions they have, the better they will perform. On top of that, we don’t want the players feeling like they are in the midst of a firestorm. We don’t want them worried that they might have a new coach in a year or two or three. I have heard rumors that some of our vaunted freshmen are kicking around the idea of transferring. We can’t lose these kids. Whoever is coaching needs talented players. There is a time and a place for everything. If things haven’t improved by the end of the ’06 season then maybe people should voice their opinions on who is the right person to lead our program, but not right now. Now is the time that we should be supporting our team and our players so that they understand that they are a part of something special.

People always ask me what I think about the West Coast Offense. I simply say this. They are going to have to prove to me that it is the best way to win in Lincoln, Nebraska before I believe it. I’m not saying it can’t work. There are all sorts of different kinds of offensive systems that work in college football; everything from Utah’s spread offense to USC’s west coast, to Air Force’s option attack. If you have the right players and you coach your system well, most offenses can be successful. You can’t argue with the success that the WCO has had at both the collegiate and professional levels. It can work, but the jury is still out as to whether it will work here. On the other hand, I hear people arguing that a running and or option attack like the one we used to run is outdated and won’t work anymore. Let me tell you something- not that much has changed since the mid-nineties. The athletes are not that much bigger and stronger. Einstein didn’t come back to life and invent a defense that can stop a properly run belly option. Like I said, any system can work if you teach the right players the right way. That being said, there were reasons why Tom Osborne ran the system that he did (reference my blog from 9/14). You don’t have to throw the ball every down to win. You don’t have to run it every down either, but some kind of running game sure would help.


Finally, my biggest frustration as a former player is the way in which some decisions have been made by the administration as well as the way some things have been handled. It is hard for me to comment on some of these situations because I have heard most of the stories second and third hand, but there are a few things I feel alright talking about. The first is the dismissal of the old coaching staff. I’m not sure exactly what happened, but I know that some of those people were not treated very well and not given a fair chance. There were a lot of Nebraskans who wanted to see a change in the coaching staff when Frank was in charge. Whether you wanted a change or not, you have to agree that those guys deserved to be treated with respect and they deserved to have the administration be up front with them. From letters slipped under doors to pointless and insincere interviews, the whole process seemed to be devious and harmful to a lot of people that many of us as former players are loyal to.

After the firing of these people, the search for a new coach began. It was this process that left many of us confused and agitated, because it was done solely and completely by one man. Most major programs, when they hire a new coach, will put together a search committee. There are people who are loyal to our program who would have been tremendous resources in the selection process. I would have loved to have seen a committee made up of gentlemen such as Tom Osborne, Charlie McBride, Monte Kiffin, Ahman Green, Grant Wistrom, Mike Minter, Barry Alvarez, and Al Papik help identify the best candidate to take over our program. I guarantee that when Notre Dame picked a new head coach last year, more than one person was in on the decision. It’s just hard for me to believe that someone who probably couldn’t draw up an over front or and under front is the best person to pick a football coach. I actually think that things could have ended up worse, especially when you consider some of the other coaches that were rumored to have planes waiting at their local airports.

The decision was made; our program is headed in a completely new direction. Now we all have to deal with it. All of us, including the administration. If those guys get things turned around and we start winning games and championships than everyone will look like a genius. If things don’t turn around, then we all know where the majority of the criticism will be directed. I know as a quarterback that when the team did well, I got a lot more praise than I deserved. When the team didn’t do well, far more than my rightful share of the blame fell on my shoulders. It goes with the territory. Steve Pedersen brought that on himself when he was so cavalier in making these tough decisions. Right or wrong, hero or villain, he took a big risk and painted himself into a tight corner. Time will tell how everyone is viewed in the history of our program.

I know I am not the only one who feels this way about all of these issues. Most of the guys that I played with are more vocal than I am about many of these things. It isn’t just former players either. I know the stadium project hasn’t raised all of the money that they need yet. There are several people, and most of us know who they are, who could write a check tomorrow to have the whole facility finished. They’re not doing it because they are not happy with the state of affairs at South Stadium. I love Nebraska football. I love the state of Nebraska. I long for the days when the characteristics of the team we put on the field on Saturdays exemplified the characteristics of the hard working people of our state. We used to have the Taj mahal of college football programs. Now it feels like someone took 40 tons of dynamite to our proud and noble masterpiece and built a three bedroom ranch in its place. I’m not saying all of these things to be malicious or overly critical of anyone, but when it comes to a state institution, people have the right to be judgmental. I just want to share my opinions with all of the Husker fans out there who care as much about the program as I do.

PREVIEW from the Sons of UCF: UCF fans remember Stetson Coach Donnie Jones from the six years he spent on the Knights’ bench. He won 100 games for the Knights, which ranks fourth in UCF history.

Click here to read more.

88 helmet stickers.

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Hearing UCF could soon be adding another high school offensive lineman: Keyon Cox, who took his official visit last summer.

Here's that update from the summer with video:


And a recent update from Ryan Wright:

I’d like to see the new Avatar in a 3D high frame rate format, but I’m struggling to find a theater in Orlando that has it. PLENTY of regular 3D options, but not seeing HFR listed anywhere.

I know AMC for some god forsaken reason refuses to list which of their theaters support HFR, so that’s annoying. The AMC in Altamonte has IMAX 3D, anyone know if it’s HFR or not?

Have you had success finding a HFR theater, or have you seen the movie in HFR anywhere already?

I’ll hang up and listen…

Not GBR… seems like we’re out of his league..

Another win for UCF!

I'm having trouble reading David Ubben, and what he means by 'vacuum.' At times it comes off condecending, like Oklahoma is such a huge loss. I mean, Texas is eyes-wise, but OK ... not so sure, and they haven't been dominant the last few years.

College football mailbag: Big 12 power vacuum, the transfer portal, 2023 Heisman picture​

UCF quotes, and the plausible, 3-tier model ...



NIL Regulator Reality Check quotes ...



Bonus: SBC/Louisiana v. Florida/SEC - haves v. have-nots quote ...

I know everybody thinks Tommy, but I think I’m more excited about Timmy. He actually had USF competitive at the end of his time there, he’ll have had a whole year with our scout team to learn the system, and he’s got at least three years of eligibility left.

Unlike JRP, Timmy we’ll be playing in spring camp. It had better be a true open competition before next season because just like this year Timmy and Tommy won’t stick around if it’s not.

Could be today or tomorrow, but hearing UCF looks great here.

WR Chauncey Magwood (Kentucky transfer) - Magwood recently visited Arkansas and also has interest from Troy and WKU. He's originally from Albany, Ga.. He's had limited production in two years at UK and would have two years remaining.

DE Stephon Zayas, who visited in December.

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He has big news coming later today... And the Cole Heard RT probably gave it away. Boom incoming. All-MAC offensive tackle.

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According to TOS:

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Former Freshman All-American and Colorado State wide receiver Dante Wright spent this past weekend on an official visit to UCF.

Wright, who is from Navarre, Fla., began his collegiate career with a monster season in 2019, catching 57 receptions for 805 yards and four touchdowns. His production decreased a bit the past few years with injuries and different roles due to coaching changes.

He played in three games in 2020, catching 20 passes for 315 yards. In eight games in 2021, Wright had 43 receptions for 540 yards and three touchdowns. He opted out in the early part of this past season to preserve an additional year of eligibility - he'll have two more years to play at his next home.

Wright entered the NCAA Transfer Portal last week and was immediately contacted by UCF offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey.

"He said he brought me up to the staff and they liked me," Wright said. "They offered me and wanted me to come down on a visit. I had a really good visit. The weekend was like a typical visit from high school, but there are different conversations. It's not as much about development, but more about fit and how I'd come in and help their offense."

Wright said his primary focus was getting to know the staff.

"That was a big part for me," Wright said. "Everybody was really friendly. I spent a lot of time with one of the analysts, he was pretty much with me the whole time. I talked to Coach Lindsey and Coach (Grant) Heard a lot too."

What stood out the most?

"I really liked the coaches," Wright said. "I think UCF has a group of really good coaches. Being in Florida is a big thing too. They're also going into the Big 12 which should be better competition. It's real exciting."

Wright said the Big 12 was a big point of emphasis to the visiting recruits, pointing out the football field already features the conference logo.

His player host was quarterback Timmy McClain, who transferred in this past August after spending his freshman season at South Florida.

"Timmy said he liked UCF a lot," Wright said. "I value his opinion a lot because he's a transfer also. That was big for me."

Wright met with head coach Gus Malzahn on his way out Sunday. UCF brought in several receivers and is currently evaluating which ones they'd have to room to take.

"Right now, I'm keeping things open," Wright said. "UCF said they'd let me know soon what the situation is. I told them I see myself going there, so we'll see how that goes."

Wright is back in Fort Collins this week finishing final exams. He has a visit scheduled to Temple for this upcoming weekend.


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Hmmmm. Ever since he left, the recruiting class immediately took off. Lol! Kids don’t commit to a position coach, they commit to a vision!!!!!!!






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UCF head coach Gus Malzahn talks about the Military Bowl matchup vs. Duke, the promotion of Addison Williams to defensive coordinator, his plans for the vacant offensive coordinator spot and more.

Opening statement:

"A lot of moving parts right now. We're getting ready for signing day coming up Wednesday. We're preparing for Duke. We practiced the last two days. Really last three days. Had good practices. Really good energy. Playing a really good Duke team. Their coach (Mike Elko) was the conference coach of the year. A guy that I went against when he was a defensive coordinator (at Texas A&M). Have a lot of respect for him. Offensively, their quarterback (Riley Leonard), I'm very impressed with him. They do a very good moving the football. Defensively, they're very sound and do a super job with that. It'll be a good challenge for our guys. We're really looking forward to that."

You didn't waste any time yesterday promoting Addison Williams to defensive coordinator. Can you talk about that decision and how he's impressed you through the years. It seems like a guy you've had your eye on for a potential promotion.

"Addison, he's one of the bright up and coming coaches in college football. He caught my eye years back. He was with me in 2019 at Auburn. My right-hand guy, assistant to the head coach and analyst. He really helped me. We got him here and he's done a super job. I elevated him to assistant head coach during the summer. Just did a wonderful job. He's a rising star. He's a real football coach. Not just relationships, but he's great with the X's and O's and everything that goes with it. I couldn't be happier to have him leading our defense."

Did you consider external hires for defensive coordinator?

"No. He's a guy that has been waiting on this opportunity. Once T-Will, and I really appreciate T-Will and everything he's done for us the last two years. He's done a great job. I wish him nothing but the best as far as his next job. Once he decided to go, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Very excited that he's ready to do this."

On his coaching tree:

"I'm getting really old. I'll say this too. Addison had some other opportunities to be a defensive coordinator also. That tells you how the college football world feels about him. We've got some really good people in college football. That's real important to me. They treat kids right. They care about kids. Help them with their futures. I'm real proud of them as far as that goes with all the different guys we've got."

With so much going on with recruiting, signing day, the bowl game, how do you keep the guys focused on achieving a 10-win season?

"I think that's about the players. It's about leadership. They understand. It's been done seven times in school history. It's important for our seniors to go out on a winning note. Our players, if you watch us practice, they're motivated. They're ready to go. The thing about a bowl game is it finishes up the season, 10 wins is big, there's no doubt about that, but also the young guys, it gives them a chance to get themselves ready for next year. Y'all saw it last year. The momentum we had with the bowl win. That was really big."

Back to Addison, can you share anything maybe at Auburn or in the two years here where he did something that really stood out to you to make you think, 'This guy could be my future defensive coordinator.'

"His football knowledge is high, high, high. Not just defense, but offensively. To be a great defensive coordinator, I believe you've got to understand the offenses inside and out and vice versa with that. Then he was with me in 2019. I was a play caller. He really helped me. We'd kind of work together about defenses and offense. That really stood out to me. The biggest thing is just the person he is. He's a winner. He's got a chance to be great in this profession. There's very few people, whether it's a coach or a player that has a chance to be great and he's got all that. So I'm real excited for him personally and then me being a head coach, being able to take over our defense going into this new league, the timing is really good. for all that."

It's going to be really cold on game day. You can't simulate it here. How do you get ready for that?

"That will definitely be a factor. I do think it's going to be cold, looking at the forecast. We'll get up there three days before the game. We'll have two practices and do the best we can as far as that goes. Simulating. It's part of it. It's part of football. Our approach is we're going to be excited to play in that environment with everything that goes with it. We'll get there and put the ball down and be able to play."

How have you seen Addison connect with players? And is it fun for you as a coach to make the announcement in a team meeting and see the reaction?

"I don't know how many coaches replace someone within 24 hours and we did that. It was an easy decision like I said. He's earned the respect of our players. It's not just the defense. It's offense and special teams. He's earned the respect of everybody in our building. Not just the coaches, the trainers, everybody that works in our department. It was real exciting to be able to announce him. We'll hit the ground running. Had a great practice today."

How do you assess the success of this season before a bowl game?

"We've got nine wins. Obviously we played in the conference championship and we weren't happy we didn't win that game. After that game, you've got to take the next step. A chance to win 10 games. There's not many teams in college football that win 10 games. We're a program with a trajectory that's going up. We won nine games this year. This is important, to win 10 games, to get some momentum going into this new league."

You've got a bowl game coming up. Any word on Isaiah Bowser coming back to play in the bowl?

"He's ready to go. Had a great practice the last three practices. He's ready to go."

Are there bowl opt-outs? Every program seem like they have some with guys getting ready for the draft.

"As of right now, everybody is playing and all that. Obviously the guys that went in the portal have moved on. Our guys are locked in. They're ready to go."

Chip Lindsey left for a different job. How do you plan to replace that spot? You were calling plays the last couple years. What's your plan?

"First of all, I really appreciate Chip. He came in here for one year and really did a great job assisting me. He's got a really good opportunity. So really appreciate everything he did. Now that I've got our defensive coordinator situation, we've still got a position to fill. We'll work on that. We're going to get an offensive coordinator. We'll see what that looks like. This is a really attractive spot. There's a lot of really good candidates interested. That's a tribute to our players. We've got some real guys on offense. We'll get a really good one that will do a super job for us."

I know you said after you were hired you'd always want to call plays. Is that still your focus?

"To be completely transparent with you, being a head coach in this day and time in college football with the portal, the NIL, the fundraising and everything, that's a challenge. Even my coaches around college football, I think all head coaches that call plays are feeling that way. We're working through that. We'll see where that goes. Once I name a guy and announce it and all that, I'll make sure to be very specific about those areas. Make no mistake, it's a huge challenge for a head coach these days."

With the new rules, being able to see four-star John Walker out at practice with you, how does that feel going through the process, seeing him practice?

"I don't know the rules right now as far as being able to comment and all that. Give me a pass on that. I will say this: This recruiting class is going to be really good. I'm real excited. Our coaches are working extremely hard. I think Wednesday is going to be a really good day."

This break between the championship game and the bowl game, will John Rhys Plumlee be healthy?

"We tried to give our guys a full week and a half off. I know a lot of teams choose to practice and all that. We really didn't have an off week. We had the hurricane, so really no off week. We felt real strong about it. We were a little behind because when you're in a championship game, the other teams that aren't get to recruit for a week. Let our guys heal up. I think everybody is now a little fresher. Being out at practice, you can really feel that energy. We're expecting him to be as healthy as he can be. This time off has really helped everybody."

How do you assess this matchup with Duke?

"We're very excited about it, playing a Duke team that had a great year. That head coach, he's a real coach. He did a great job. Our players can see the film. You turn the film on and you have a lot of respect. They won a lot of games. The games they lost were really close. We're playing a really good team. Our guys understand that. I'm glad we're playing a really good team. Our players are too. It's a good bowl. Like I said, a big challenge will be being cold. Hey, that's football weather. I kinda like that every now and then. I think our players will too."

Some of the commentary for these bowl games are that teams maybe aren't dialed in, they aren't focused. You just alluded to it. How excited are you for this opportunity?

"Last year we were really motivated to play in that bowl game. We were chomping at the bit. That group, I promise you, will be doing the same thing. That's our challenge. The way our guys have responded the last couple days, they're excited to practice. Bowl games have a way, the younger guys come back re-energized and refocused, yeah win the game, but it's also getting momentum for next year. Some times you have new faces in bowl games. Whether it's special teams, offense, defense. Some guys get more opportunities. We had some guys leave. There's a lot of positive energy. That's our challenge. That's everybody's challenge in a bowl. You see it. These bowls aren't what they were five or 10 years ago. It's more about how is your team, how motivated they are. That's our challenge, but I really expect our guys to be ready to go. Like I said, we know our team is excited."

Signing Day is Wednesday. How much do you take into the star recruiting system and how do you evaluate recruits?

"From 20 years ago, I think there's more information for people to be more accurate as far as that. Still, it's not a perfect science. We turn the film on. I'm an old high school coach. I turn the film on and within five plays I can decide whether that guy can play or not. I don't really look at the stars. You've got to deal with it from a head coach's standpoint as far as momentum and fanbase. It's part of the job. We just need to finish. That's what we need to do. We're in a really good spot. Our coaches have worked extremely hard. I think we're in a really good spot."

Can you talk about the depth and development? It seems when you played the younger guys there was no drop off.

"We had a great recruiting class last year? We had some real players. We knew that. We had a veteran group coming back. When our twos and threes played, there wasn't a lot of drop off. We played good, clean football. That's real exciting. I expect this bowl game to carry over."

For bowl prep, who is going to coach the quarterbacks and linebackers?

"I'm helping with that. One of our analysts, (Brent) Bognar, we moved him up to the field. He's also going to assist with some of the things Coach Lindsey did. So that's what we'll do on the offensive side."

I don’t think I can remember a ESD with this many kids for us making decisions that are down to the wire/being silent commits. Feels like most of our class will be forming in like 3 days. Obviously shows how big of an effect the portal has on college football, as high school kids seem to be in wait-and-see mode.

Hello All.

I joined this site in 2006 (I think?) and still read these boards daily. One of my NY’s resolutions is to get back in here a bit more and reengage with you all. I’m sure many of you can relate to this, but I have made some great friends from this message board that I am eternally grateful for.

In the spirit of the holidays, I wanted to bring back something that we used to do, a Brandon appreciation thread. I personally am very appreciative for all that he does for us and UCF; year round.

We have had lapses of judgment, and have all undoubtedly made posts that we regret, but at the end of the day Brandon is someone who I’m very grateful for and I know I am not alone in saying that.

Happy Holidays! Go Knights! Charge On!

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The Rays will work out at WWoS, but won't play any exhibition games there. They are working out there while repairs are done to their facility in Port Charlotte. Games will be played at the Trop.